North Saanich

Population

In 2001, this neighbourhood was home to 10,795 people including 360 children aged 0-4, comprising 3.3% of the total population. EDI results for this neighbourhood are separated into two communities, Deep Cove and McTavish, and will be presented individually.

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Mobility

On average, 19% of Victoria area residents (nearly one in five) changed homes in the year prior to the census. This is higher than both the BC (16.4%) and National (14.3%) mobility averages. In North Saanich, 11.8% of the total population of this neighbourhood changed addresses in the year prior to the census; this represents lower mobility than region as a whole.

High levels of mobility may be stressful for families and young children. This may affect the degree to which families know their neighbours, or are familiar with the resources around them. Families in neighbourhoods with high-mobility are less likely to connect with other families for informal support and information.

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Implications

In addition to being socially disruptive, a high level of transience is a huge challenge for community development approaches to child development and to continuity of care for children with special needs. When children reach school age, it becomes a further challenge for educational momentum and continuity. Increasing family residential mobility has been associated with higher levels of behavioural vulnerability in middle childhood. It is reasonable to infer that the high rates of residential transience in inner city neighbourhoods complicate efforts to build social cohesion that impacts children in those areas (Hertzman et al., 2002).

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Childcare

Good quality childcare can positively influence developmental outcomes for young children whether it is provided in the home or in a child care centre.

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Access to Licensed Childcare

North Saanich has between 32 and 37 spaces per 100 children aged 0-5 (2003).

There are 3 licensed family child care facilities, 2 out of school care facilities, 2 preschools, and 3 group day care facilities in the North Saanich neighbourhood (2005). There is no child minding, or infant care in this neighbourhood.

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Lone Parent Families

Fewer than one in twelve families (7.8%) in the North Saanich neighbourhood are headed by a lone parent. This lower than the incidence in the Victoria area, where the average percentage of families with children that were headed by a lone parent in 2001 was 16%. Lone parent families face significant challenges in balancing the demands of raising children while earning a living. Children of lone parent families are more likely to be living in poverty than those from two-parent families. While most children from lone-parent households do well, research has shown that a higher proportion of children with cognitive and behavioural problems come from such families.

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Income

A higher family income level makes the conditions for healthy child development more easily accessible. For example, access to good quality child care, nutritious food, secure housing, and community participation improves as income level rises.

The average annual household income in the North Saanich area is $80,600 and 2.8% of the population of this neighbourhood fall below the low income cutoff. The StatsCan Census Dictionary defines the low income cut-off as economic families or unattached individuals who spend 20% more than average on food, shelter and clothing. In 2000, nearly one in every ten families in Victoria was below the low-income cut-off (9%), compared with 13.6% of BC families, and 12.6% of Canadian families.

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Unemployment

Research has shown that neighbourhoods with high levels of unemployment can impact negatively on children's behavioural outcomes. The mean unemployment rate for the Victoria CMA was 6.6%, slightly lower than the overall national rate of 7.4% and the provincial average of 8.5%. The unemployment rate for North Saanich is 3 - 5%, which lower than the regional rate.

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Education

Higher parental education is positively related to the language development of children. Studies have shown that the education level of the primary caregiver, often the mother, is of particular significance to the child's readiness for school. In North Saanich, approximately one in seven adults (13.5%) has not completed grade 12. This is lower than local and provincial averages of 19-20%. More than one quarter of adults (25-42%) in this neighbourhood have a bachelors degree or higher.

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Pregnancy & Birth Information

There were 14,517 live births in the study area between 1998 and 2002. In 2001, there were 54 live births to women residing in North Saanich, corresponding to a live birth rate of 1-5 per 1000 population.

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Small For Gestational Age

A baby that is born small for gestational age is one that has a low birth weight after consideration for duration of the mother's pregnancy. This measure is generally more useful than looking strictly at low birth weight because there is a stronger connection to the future use of health services; babies that are small for gestational age typically have long lasting health consequences and a greater need for services than low birth weight babies (though there is some overlap between the two groups). The smallest 10% of babies at each gestational age - excluding twins and triplets - are defined as 'small for gestational age'.

There were a total of 203 infants born Small for Gestational Age (SGA) in the study area during the period 1998 to 2002, accounting for 1.4% of all live births. In North Saanich, between 0.6% and 1% of babies born between 1998 and 2002 were SGA.

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Low Birth Weight

Low birth weight babies are those less than 2500 grams or 5.5 pounds, and are either born before 37 weeks gestation or are small for gestational age. Low birth weight is a key determinant of infant survival, health and development. Low birth weight has been linked to infant mortality, physical disability and long term health problems, including heart disease and diabetes. In North Saanich, 3.7% - 4.8% of babies born between 1998 and 2002 had a low birth weight.

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High Birth Weight

High birth weight may increase an infant's disposition to certain chronic conditions in adulthood, including obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes and breast cancer HBW is defined as infants born weighing over 4,000 grams . Between 1998 and 2002, the proportion of high birth weight babies in the study area ranged from 12% to 32%. In North Saanich, approximately 20% - 21.5% of infants born between 1998 and 2002 had a high birth weight.

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Proportion of Infants Born to Teenage Mothers

Throughout the study site, there were a total of 94 births to teen mothers (aged 15-19) in 2001. The proportion of births to teen mothers by neighbourhood ranges from 0% to 12.2%. The teen fertility rate in 2001 for the study area is 10 births per 1,000 women aged 15-19. In North Saanich there were no births to teenaged mothers in 2001.

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Early Development Instrument Results: North Saanich

The EDI results for North Saanich are presented as two communities: Deep Cove and McTavish. Both of these communities violate the minumum size requirements for the EDI to be valid.

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Early Development Instrument Results: Deep Cove

A total of 35 children from Deep Cove are included in the EDI results for this neighbourhood. One in nine children in this neighbourhood are vulnerable on one or more scales of the EDI. Please note that this violates the minimum size requirement for EDI validity.

Table: Summary of EDI Results for Deep Cove

  Physical Social Emotional Language Communication Overall
Average score /10 8.89 8.88 8.81 8.68 8.53  
% Vulnerable 5.71 0 0 8.57 2.86 11.43
Classification Low Challenge Buffered Buffered Wide Range Low Challenge  

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Physical Health & Well-being

Young children in the Deep Cove neighbourhood scored higher than average on the physical well-being scale for the EDI. Roughly one in every twenty children is considered vulnerable in terms of physical health and well-being. Based on the high average score, and low vulnerability, this is a 'Low Challenge' domain for this neighbourhood.

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Social Competence

Children in Deep Cove scored slightly above average on this scale. None of the children are considered vulnerable in terms of social competence compared to local cutoffs.

Given the absence of vulnerability and the high average score, this is a 'Buffered' domain.

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Emotional Maturity

Children in Deep Cove scored much higher than average in this domain and none of the children are considered vulnerable in terms of emotional maturity. Given the absence of vulnerability and the higher than average score, this is a 'Buffered' domain.

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Language & Cognitive Development

Children in Deep Cove scored slightly higher than average in this domain, and nearly one in eleven children is considered vulnerable in this domain. Given higher than average scores and average vulnerability, this neighbourhood is considered 'Wide Range' in this domain.

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Communication & General Knowledge

Children in Deep Cove scored slightly much higher than average for this domain. Less than 3% of children are considered vulnerable in this domain. This neighbourhood is considered low challenge in this domain.

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Early Development Instrument Results: McTavish

A total of 34 children from McTavish are included in the EDI results for this neighbourhood. One in twelve children in this neighbourhood are vulnerable on one or more scales of the EDI. Please note that this violates the minimum size requirement for EDI validity.

Table: Summary of EDI Results for McTavish

  Physical Social Emotional Language Communication Overall
Average score /10 9.17 9.01 8.95 8.42 8.15 > 
% Vulnerable 0 0 0 5.88 5.88 8.82
Classification Low Challenge Low Challenge Low Challenge Low Challenge Low Challenge  

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Physical Health & Well-being

Young Children in the McTavish neighbourhood scored highest in the region on the physical well-being scale for the EDI and none of the children are considered vulnerable in terms of physical health and well being. Based on the high score, and absence of vulnerability, this is a 'Low Challenge' domain for this neighbourhood.

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Social Competence

Children in McTavish scored very high on this scale. None of the children are considered vulnerable in terms of social competence compared to local cutoffs.

Given the absence of vulnerability and the high average score, this is a 'low challenge' domain.

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Emotional Maturity

Children in McTavish scored second highest in the region in terms of emotional maturity. Given the absence of vulnerability and the higher than average score, this is a 'low challenge' domain.

Language & Cognitive Development

Children in McTavish also scored well in this domain. Nearly one in seventeen children is considered vulnerable in this domain. Given higher than average scores and lower than avaerage vulnerability, this neighbourhood is considered low challenge in this domain.

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Communication & General Knowledge

Children in McTavish scored slightly higher than average in this domain. One in seventeen children is considered vulnerable in this domain. This neighbourhood is considered low challenge in this domain.

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